A Bengaluru-based band were allegedly attacked for not playing Kannada songs during a recent gig in the city. This incident occurred in Pheonix Marketcity Mall in Whitefield, Bengaluru on Friday when a city-based band Musication was performing. It took place after the show was officially over and the band members were packing their instrument.
Two men, who seemed intoxicated approached the band and asked them to play a Kannada song. The band entertained the request, playing one song in Kannada without their instruments plugged in.
Somnath, one of the band members said, “After we were done with our set, two drunk men came and asked us to play more Kannada songs. We told them we had played a few but they insisted that we play more. To entertain their request, we played a Kannada song but all our equipment was disconnected from the sound system by the mall staff. But they insisted that we play with the sound setup, so we asked them to approach the mall staff.”
He alleged, “When the mall staff refused, they went to hit us with the mike stand. Everything was fast, they went to hit our base guitarist Rudra first but barely missed him. At this point, Anubhav (another member) took out his phone to record the violence which prompted others from a drunk mob to join in. They hit him with the mike stand and crushed his phone and only then the mall security came into the picture and the attackers left.”
In a post on their Facebook page, the band said, “PROBABLY THE WORST DAY OF OUR PERFORMANCE TENURE. Our bandmate had to go through this after completion of a fantastic show. The reason we were attacked was not playing Kannada songs whereas we always try to play one or two Kannada/regional songs in our setlist for our love of the regional music and we did the same that day as well.”
Somnath said that they were following the matter closely with the mall management over the police complaint. CCTV footage of the incident captured from a nearby store has been given to the police. Jurisdictional Mahadevpura Police Station could not be reached for a comment.
The latest incident comes less than a month after a Kerala hip hop band had their microphone turned off during a performance at a pub in Bengaluru. This after three audience members objected to the band singing Malayalam songs.
